Collapsible dolly for use with a truss

ABSTRACT

A foldable dolly for use with a truss. The dolly is also extendable.

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No.12/689,686 filed Jan. 19, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,517,397 issued Aug.27, 2013, which claims priority from provisional application 61/145,673,filed Jan. 19, 2009, the entire contents of which are herewithincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Lighting and other gear for an event, e.g., a concert, play or othergathering may be held on trusses. For example, a truss may include aseries of poles which extend substantially parallel to one another and,are connected together to form a square or rectangle in cross section.Cross pieces on the truss that hold the pieces relative to one anotherand provide structural support.

The trusses need to have significant amounts of strength, and hence theyuse materials that can be heavy. Also the trusses are usually raised toa spot above the stage. Often the stage is assembled by wheeling out thetrusses on dollies. The lights are hung on the trusses on the groundwhile they are still on the dollies. The trusses are subsequently raisedso that they are hanging from the roof with the lights still on them.The dollies are then removed from that area and stored until the trussesare lowered.

Dollies for trusses include the “Obie Low Pro” and the “Mega Trussdolly”.

SUMMARY

The present application describes a number of features for a new trussdolly.

The inventor recognizes that the dollies take up significant space whenthey are not being used, and when they are being transported. Accordingto a first aspect, the dollies for the trusses can be folded into astowed position in which they use less space.

The dollies can be more easily stored at an area outside of the activeevent area and to be transported.

According to another aspect, the dollies are “telescopic” so that theycan be adjusted to set which or how far off the ground they hold thetrusses. This allows larger light to be placed on the dollies.

Another aspect describes how the telescopic feature can allow use onetruss for multiple different kinds of lights.

Yet another feature describes how the dolly and truss have specifiedstructures that holds them together and allows them to move one relativeto another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a stack of folded dollies according to embodiments;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the trusses and dollies from opposite sides;

FIG. 4 shows a close up of the movable part;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the movable part;

FIG. 6 shows a pair of trusses which are connected together, and areraised into a vertical position using a serpentine techniques;

FIG. 7 shows further progress of the serpentine technique;

FIG. 8 shows the truss in the wholly vertical position off of the dolly;

FIG. 9 shows a dual stacked dolly-and-truss configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, where FIG. 1 shows a stackof folded dollies, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show the dollies from oppositesides.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the embodiment where truss 200 is mounted ontop of the dolly 100. The dollies 100 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are shown in theextended and assembled position. The truss 200 includes a first male end205, and a second female end 210 (shown in FIG. 3). The female end 210of one truss attaches into the male end 205 of another truss. Accordingto one embodiment, the connection between the male end and the femaleand uses a universal connector of the type described in U.S. Pat. No.6,675,546, and available for sale from “Total Structures, Inc”, Ventura,Calif.

The dollies have a dolly frame with wheels on its bottom surface. Theframe also has a truss holding channel 130 that is movable by action ofa pivotable channel holding arm 105.

Each of the dollies includes support pieces of various types. The trussin FIG. 2 includes unistruts 210 (e.g., a P3000 available fromunistrut.com) and diagonal supports 215. The supports hold rigid theframe portions, formed of four tubular and/or rectangular frame portions220. FIG. 6 illustrates how the unistruts 210 have connection parts thatallow connecting a light supporting pole such as 600 between and alongmultiple unistruts such as between unit strut 210 and unistrut 610. Thepoles 600 are pre-drilled with holes which allow those poles to beconnected at any location within the unistruts. Lighting devices such as620 can be held on clamps 625, 626 that may attach at any location alongthe pole 600.

The lights are typically hung to extend within the area 225 definedbetween the structural portions 220, 221, 222, 223 while each of thetrusses is held on a dolly 100. The lights as so hung extend inside thearea defined between the supports.

The dolly includes a channel holding arm 105 that holds the channel 130,and swivels between the upright and structural portion shown in FIGS.2-4, and a stowed or folded down position shown in FIG. 1 and describedfurther herein. The dolly pivots on a pivot portion 110 which allowspivoting to the upright position and to the lowered position. While inthe upright position, the bottom support part 230 of the truss is heldwithin a corresponding channel 130 on the dolly and attached via astraight line action clamp 176, which holds the arm 160 are area 175.

The channel 130 can also be telescoped to a taller position, to allowlarger lights to hang lower into the interior of the truss and dollywithout hitting the floor. This allows for larger lights to be hung inthis way. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate how the channel 130 is held on asupport pole 135, which extends into a corresponding holding channel110. The holding channel includes inner surfaces 141 which are sized tohouse the outer surface 135 of the telescoping pole. In addition, a bolt146 can be removed to allow the channel 135 of the dolly portion toextend further upward and thereby telescope, after which the bolt 146can be reinstalled. When the channel telescopes upward, the truss 200 isheld up higher above the bottom surface of the dolly, thereby providingfurther room for lights.

Each of the dollies also includes a number of stacking peg portions. Astacking peg portion 140 fits within a corresponding receiving portion145 within another dolly. For example, stacking peg portion 140 within acorresponding receiving portion on another dolly. When the dolly 100 isstacked with another dolly, the peg portions of the adjacent dollies areheld one within the other.

The dollies can also be retracted to the retracted position shown inFIG. 1. In FIG. 1, each dolly such as 100, 102, is in the stowedposition. In this stowed position, the arms 105 has been pivoted to acompletely flat position. The flattened arms allow the dollies to belaid flat and stacked as shown in FIG. 1. Even though a high stack ofdollies is possible such as the dolly stack shown in FIG. 1, thesedollies are connected one to the other, such that receiving portion 145on one of the dollies connect into the peg portions 140 on the other ofthe dollies. This provides vertical support to the dolly stack, therebyallowing them to be stacked very high without significant danger offalling over. The top surface of the truss may also have a male pegshown as 155.

In operation, the dolly portions can be pivoted on the first pivot 110,to place the upright support portion 140 in a substantially verticalposition. The second pivot 111 is moved to place the other supportportion 160 into for example a 45° angle. The second pivot pivots in adirection opposite to the pivoting direction of the first pivot. Thesupport connection 175 is tightened to hold it in place.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a hinged part, showing the hinges 110,111, and showing the telescoping portion 130. The pole 135 can extentand retract as shown by the arrow 500. A bolt 146 holds the device inplace. This can alternatively be a pin or quick release connection.

In the embodiment, the main supports of the dolly may be 2×3 rectangularaluminum tubes, and the edge support 160 may be a 2×2 square with0.5″×2″ tab on the bottom edge. The top portion may be a 2½ by ¼ inchchannel.

In operation, the dolly can be extended between its contracted positionshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and its folded position shown in FIG. 1. Whencontracted as shown in FIG. 1, a number of the dollies can be stacked.When expanded as in its position in FIGS. 4 and 5, and in FIGS. 2 and 3,the dolly can hold an element of truss thereon, and it can expand andcontract while holding the truss. Moreover, the structural elementswhich are added to this device can reduce the danger of high stacks ofitems.

Another feature of the truss of the present system is to controlvertical hanging of the trusses by serpentine lifting of the truss offthe dolly.

In this embodiment, multiple different trusses can be held together byattaching the male end 205 of one of the trusses to the female end 210of another truss. These can be held by removable pins. In order to hangthe trusses vertically, the bottom pin, from area, 640 is removed. Thetop pin 642 remains, and the truss can pivot on that top pin 642. Amotor is then attached to one end of the truss, and the motor is movedto cause the truss to move upward in the direction of the arrow 645. Asthe truss moves upward, it pivots on the pin 642. FIG. 7 shows how oncethe first truss rises sufficiently, the second connected truss 700 alsobegins lifting off the ground. The bottom support part 710 of the trusspivots within the channel 130 of the Dolly, and the top part pivots onthe pin 642. As the motor continues to run to lift the truss upward,eventually both trusses are raised into the vertical position. Themovement of the first truss 599 upwards may be facilitated by the truss700 and moving on its associated dolly 701.

FIG. 8 illustrates the truss 700, now off the Dolly and in its fullupright position. The truss pieces 599 and 700 can then be attached byreattaching the pin back into 640. This motion of lifting the trussesinto a vertical direction in this way is referred to as a serpentinemotion, with there being at least two pivot points for the two trusses—afirst pivot point between the two trusses and a second pivot pointbetween the truss 700 and the dolly.

FIG. 9 illustrates another stacking configuration in which a first Dollyand truss stack 900 is stacked with a second dolly and truss stack 920.the Dolly 902 of the first stack has a truss 904 stacked thereon. Thetruss 904 has attached lights such as 906 which extend into the Dollyspace. Note that Dolly 902 is telescoped by an amount 980. The Dolly canbe telescoped by any desired amount to facilitate the moving lights onthe truss while still on the Dolly.

However, more stacking of the Dolly means that the dollies becomehigher. The moderately telescoped configuration shown in FIG. 9 mightstill be low enough to fit on a truck with two Dolly stack. However, asthe trusses telescope more, it may form the dolly stack too high to fiton a truck, and prevent this being from being stacked in the truck.

The top truss 924 is connected to a bottom Dolly 922 of the second trussDolly combination. The Dolly 922 holds the truss 924. Again, the truss924 is already has the lights loaded thereon and wired. The dollies canbe stacked as shown in FIG. 9 using a forklift, and then rolled on totrucks in their stacked positions, thereby using the truck space moreeffectively.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to beencompassed within this specification. The specification describesspecific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may beaccomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to beexemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification oralternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skillin the art. For example, other materials and sizes can be used. Any kindof hangable light, or any equipment that can be truss mounted can bemounted in this way.

Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words“means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixthparagraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intendedto be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expresslyincluded in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: using a dolly to move atruss of a type that hangs a light; placing the light on the truss andplacing the truss on the dolly with the light attached to the truss; andfolding the dolly after using the dolly to move the truss, wherein saidfolding comprises moving a truss holding arm between a first position inwhich there is a channel structure that faces substantially vertically,and a stowed position where said channel structure faces in a directionwhere said channel structure can not hold said truss in said channelstructure, and wherein, in said stowed position, said channel structureis closer to a main surface of the frame relative to said firstposition.
 2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising moving the trussin a way to rotate the truss relative to the dolly.
 3. A methodcomprising: using a dolly to hold a truss of a type that has surfacesthat allow hanging a light; attaching a light to the truss on the dolly;and moving the truss in a way to make the truss rotate relative to thedolly; and folding said truss, wherein said folding comprises moving atruss holding arm between a first position in which there is a channelstructure that faces substantially vertically, and a stowed positionwhere said channel structure faces in a direction where said channelstructure can not hold said truss in said channel structure, andwherein, in said stowed position, said channel structure is closer to amain surface of the frame relative to said first position.
 4. A methodas in claim 3, further comprising moving the truss to hang the trussvertically.
 5. A method comprising: using a first dolly to hold a firsttruss of a type that has surfaces that allow hanging a light; attachingplural lights to the first truss on the first dolly; using an additionaldolly to hold an additional truss of a type that has surfaces that allowhanging a light; attaching plural lights to the additional truss on theadditional dolly; and stacking said first dolly with said first trussand said plural lights on said second dolly with said second truss andsaid plural lights such that said first truss stacked on said firstdolly, said additional dolly stacked on the truss, and said additionaltruss is stacked on said additional dolly; and moving the truss in a wayto make it rotate relative to the dolly.
 6. A method as in claim 5,further comprising moving the truss to hang the truss vertically.
 7. Amethod comprising using a first dolly to hold a first truss of a typethat has surfaces that allow hanging a light; attaching plural lights tothe first truss on the first dolly; using an additional dolly to hold anadditional truss of a type that has surfaces that allow hanging a light;attaching plural lights to the additional truss on the additional dolly;and stacking said first dolly with said first truss and said plurallights on said second dolly with said second truss and said plurallights such that said first truss stacked on said first dolly, saidadditional dolly stacked on the truss, and said additional truss isstacked on said additional dolly; and folding said truss, wherein saidfolding comprises moving a truss holding arm between a first position inwhich there is a channel structure that faces substantially vertically,and a stowed position where said channel structure faces in a directionwhere said channel structure can not hold said truss in said channelstructure, and wherein, in said stowed position, said channel structureis closer to a main surface of the frame relative to said firstposition.